1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a switching device, and more particularly, to a nanowire electromechanical switching device having an improved structure in which stable on-off switching characteristics between two nanowires that contact each other and that are switched and low-voltage driving characteristics are shown, and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A contemporary nanowire switching device is typically constructed with an insulating substrate, first and second electrodes disposed on the insulating substrate, and first and second nanowires vertically grown on the first and second electrodes, respectively. If a certain voltage difference is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, a positive charge and a negative charge are accumulated on the first nanowire and the second nanowire, respectively. Thus, an electrostatic force, that is, an attractive force, may be induced between the first nanowire and the second nanowire, and the first nanowire and the second nanowire are elastically deformed so that ends of the first nanowire and the second nanowire can contact each other and current can be conducted through the first nanowire and the second nanowire. Therefore, the nanowire switching device is switched on.
In order to induce elastic deformation of nanowires in a switching device having the above 2-electrode structure, however, a high driving voltage of about 25 V to 50 V between the first and second electrodes is required. When a driving voltage is high, a large current flows through nanowires. There is a problem that arching and burning phenomena may occur in a portion in which the nanowires contact each other. These phenomena deleteriously cause switching characteristics a switching device to be deteriorated and the life span of the switching device to be reduced.